1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus, and more particularly, to an image reading apparatus in which images recorded onto a photosensitive material are read by reading light from the photosensitive material in a conveyed state. The present invention also relates to an image recording apparatus in which images recorded onto a photosensitive material are recorded onto a photosensitive material for recording by irradiating light from the photosensitive material onto the photosensitive material for recording such as a photographic printing paper or the like in a conveyed state.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, a so-called digital photo printer in which images of a photographic film are extracted by a CCD and the extracted images are digitally processed and scan-exposed onto a photographic printing paper has been proposed.
In this digital photo printer, image information recorded onto the photographic film is optically read, the read images are converted into digital signals and subjected to various image processings such that image information for recording is formed. Then, the photosensitive material is scan-exposed by recording light which has been modulated in accordance with this image information. The images (latent images) are recorded and printed in developing processing.
The digital photo printer can freely effect editing such as the composition of a plurality of images, the division of an image, or the like; editing layout of a print image such as editing of characters and an image, or the like; and various image processings such as expansion/contraction, adjustment of color/density/gradation, conversion of negative/positive photographic film, emphasis of outline, or the like. Further, in the conventional direct exposure print, all of the image density information regarding density resolution, space resolution, color/density reproducibility, or the like recorded onto the photographic film cannot be reproduced. However, the digital photo printer can obtain a print in which substantially 100% of image density information recorded onto the photographic film is reproduced.
Further, in the digital photo printer, the image information recorded onto the photographic film or image processing conditions of that information can be recorded (stored) in an external memory or external media such as a memory, a hard disk, or the like provided at the device. Accordingly, when extra printing or the like is carried out, it is not necessary to have a photographic film having original images and to reset processing conditions. Thus, an operation such as the making of extra prints or the like can be carried out rapidly and efficiently. Other services include applied services such as the editing of digital image data recorded by a digital camera or the like and the output of the image to a printer or the like; recording of images of a photographic film onto an external media; transfer of digital image data to a distant place using an internet function; and the like.
A device of this sort is a type of production equipment. Consequently, in this device, it is necessary that images are read in a short time, that so-called processing capacity is high, and that various types of photographic films having a variety of exposure levels are finished with high image qualities. Accordingly, in order to read an input image at a predetermined processing capacity as high quality image data, a larger amount of illuminating light is required for, for example, a negative photographic film which has been overexposed.
Further, in the above-described image reading apparatus, it is known that visible optical components which are required for reading color images also have thermal energy. Consequently, a light source for reading the color image naturally restricts the wavelength region which can be cut and, even if the wavelength components which are not required for reading are cut and light is irradiated, a complete heat insulating effect is not obtained. Thus, when a large amount of light is irradiated, thermal energy accumulates on the photographic film original in proportion to the amount of light, the temperature of the photographic film rises more than a permissible temperature of the photographic film components, and the quality of the photographic film thereby deteriorates. The deterioration of the quality of the photographic film includes temporary deterioration of quality (reversible fading) or permanent deterioration of quality (irreversible fading, deformation of a photographic film base, or the like).
Once irreversible heat damage is inflicted on the photographic film, the film cannot be restored. The function of protecting a photographic film should be one of the most important subjects when the device is constructed. In this case, if the illuminating light is used only for effective illumination, there is the concern that heat damage will be inflicted on the photographic film as described above. Thus, it is necessary to provide any means which prevents rising of the temperature of the photographic film.
The present invention was developed in light of the above circumstances, and the object thereof is to provide an image reading apparatus and an image recording apparatus which can effectively prevent deterioration of the quality of a photosensitive material.
In order to achieve the above-described object, the present invention comprises: a conveying device which conveys a photosensitive material; an illuminator which irradiates light onto the photosensitive material which is conveyed by the conveying device; a reading device which reads light from the photosensitive material in a state in which the photosensitive material is conveyed by the conveying device; and a cooling device which cools at least one of a region of the photosensitive material onto which the light is irradiated, and a reverse surface of the region.
Namely, the conveying device conveys the photosensitive material and the illuminator irradiates light onto the photosensitive material which is conveyed by the conveying device. The reading device reads light from the photosensitive material in a state in which the photosensitive material is conveyed by the conveying device.
The cooling device cools at least one of the region of the photosensitive material onto which the light is irradiated and the reverse surface of the region.
Thus, when the light from the photosensitive material is read in a conveyed state, because the photosensitive material is cooled even if the amount of light irradiated onto the photosensitive material is increased, deterioration of the quality of the photosensitive material can be prevented.
Namely, the structure which is suitable for the image reading apparatus of the present invention is as follows. Namely, the image reading apparatus of the present invention comprises: a conveying device for conveying a photosensitive material; a CCD having three lines which are disposed in the conveying direction and extend in the direction which intersects the conveying direction for reading an image; a lens device which serves as means of projecting the photosensitive material image onto the CCD; and an illuminator which irradiates light onto the photosensitive material which is conveyed by the conveying device.
Further, the present invention comprises a cooling device which cools at least one of a region of the photosensitive material onto which the light is irradiated and a reverse surface of the region.
In a suitable aspect of the image reading apparatus relating to the present invention, there are a setup equipment which performs image processings on read images and determines the exposure conditions of recorded images, an image processing device which performs various image processings on the read images, and a recording equipment which records (stores) the read images.
Note that even if the above-described 3-line CCD is, e.g., an area sensor or the like, the sensor is, in fact, described as a 3-line CCD if it is used in the same way.
The present invention may further include control means which, when a condition for starting cooling is formed, operates the cooling device and which, when a condition for reducing cooling capacity is formed, reduces (stops or operates at small capacity) the cooling capacity of the cooling device.
Because the cooling device is operated when the condition for starting cooling is formed and the cooling capacity of the cooling device is reduced when the condition for reducing cooling capacity is formed, the cooling device is prevented from operating at large capacity when it is unnecessary, and the life of the cooling device can be lengthened.
The condition for starting cooling may be when the light can be read by the reading device and the condition for reducing cooling capacity may be when the light cannot be read by the reading device. When an image having a predetermined density or higher is recorded onto the photosensitive material, the condition for starting cooling may be when the light from the image having a predetermined density or higher can be read by the reading device and the condition for reducing cooling capacity may be when the light from the image having a predetermined density or lower can be read by the reading device.
The control means may control the cooling device in accordance with the density of the image read by the reading device so that the cooling device operates at larger capacity as the density becomes higher. This is in light of the fact that the temperature of a portion at which the density of the image is high is higher than that of a portion at which the density of the image is low under the same illumination conditions. When the above-described density becomes high, the conveying device is conveyed at slower speed in order to increase the illumination time. In this case, the control means may control the cooling device in accordance with the conveying speed of the conveying device so that the cooling device operates at larger capacity as the conveying speed is slower. This is in light of the fact that, when the conveying speed is slow, the illumination time is long and the temperature of the photosensitive material is high.
Further, the image reading apparatus includes: a detector which detects whether the photosensitive material exists in the region onto which the light is irradiated by the illuminator, wherein the condition for starting cooling may be when it is detected by the detector that the photosensitive material exists in the region, and the condition for reducing cooling capacity may be when it is detected by the detector that the photosensitive material does not exist in the region. When the conveying device can be loaded so as to be attachable and removable, the detector may detect the existence of the photosensitive material in the region by detecting whether the conveying device is loaded. The conveying device is removed and cooling air having a high velocity which is generated by the cooling device can be prevented from blowing against a user or the like.
Moreover, the image reading apparatus includes: an aperture which stops the amount of light irradiated onto the photosensitive material; and a stopped state detector which detects whether a state stopped by the aperture is a dangerous state in which the quality of the photosensitive material is deteriorated by the illumination of the stopped amount of light, wherein the condition for starting cooling may be when it is detected by the stopped state detector that the stopped state is dangerous, and the condition for reducing cooling capacity may be when it is detected by the stopped state detector that the stopped state is not dangerous.
The image reading apparatus further comprises: a sensor which senses a temperature in a vicinity of at least one of the above-described region and the reverse surface of the region, wherein the control means may control the cooling device on the basis of the temperature detected by the sensor so that the quality of at least one of the region and the reverse surface of the region is not deteriorated.
The control means stores in advance a heat resisting temperature (glass transition temperature) so as to not deteriorate the quality of the photosensitive material, and determines whether the temperature detected by the sensor is higher than a temperature which is lower than the heat resisting temperature by a predetermined amount. When the detected temperature is higher than the temperature which is lower than the heat resisting temperature by a predetermined amount, the control means may operate the cooling device.
In accordance with the difference between the above-described heat resisting temperature and the temperature sensed by the sensor, when the difference is large, i.e., when the temperature detected by the sensor is lower than the heat resisting temperature, the control means may control the cooling device so that the cooling device operates at smaller capacity. In this way, when the temperature detected by the sensor is lower than the heat resisting temperature, since the cooling device is operated at smaller capacity, the cooling device can be prevented from operating at an unnecessarily large capacity, and the life of the cooling device can be lengthened.
Because the heat resisting temperature of a base surface of the photosensitive material is lower than that of an emulsion surface thereof, the heat resisting temperature of the base surface is preferably used.
In this way, since the cooling device is controlled on the basis of the temperature in the vicinity of at least one of the region of the photosensitive material, onto which the light is irradiated, and the reverse surface of the region so that the quality of the photosensitive material is not deteriorated, the deterioration of the quality of the photosensitive material can be prevented more reliably.
The cooling device may comprise: a cooling air generating device which generates cooling air for cooling the photosensitive material; and guide means which guides the cooling air generated by the cooling air generating device to at least one of the above-described region and the reverse surface of the region.
The cooling air generating device includes, for example, a compressor, fan, or the like. The amount of flow, the velocity of flow, and the pressure of the cooling air generated by the compressor are larger than those of the cooling air generated by the fan. The larger the amount of flow, the velocity of flow, and the pressure of the cooling air supplied to the photosensitive material, the larger the cooling efficiency. Thus, the cooling air which is generated by the compressor and has larger amount of flow, velocity of flow, and pressure than the cooling air generated by the fan is guided to at least one of the region of the photosensitive material, onto which the light is irradiated, and the reverse surface of the region. Even if the amount of light irradiated onto the photosensitive material is increased, the deterioration of the quality of the photosensitive material can be prevented.
Further, in the present invention, the illuminator irradiates linear light, which extends in the direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the photosensitive material, onto the photosensitive material, and the cooling device may comprise: a cooling air generating device which generates cooling air for cooling the photosensitive material; and guide means which guides the cooling air generated by the cooling air generating device to at least one of a portion of the region to be illuminated of the photosensitive material, onto which the linear light is irradiated, and the reverse surface of the region to be illuminated.
In this way, since the cooling air generated by the cooling air generating device is guided to at least one of the portion of the region to be illuminated of the photosensitive material, onto which the linear light is irradiated, and the reverse surface of the region to be illuminated, a decrease in the amount of flow of the cooling air can be reduced and the cooling efficiency can be improved.
When the illuminator irradiates linear light, which extends in the direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the photosensitive material, onto the photosensitive material, the reading device reads the light from the portion of the region of the photosensitive material, onto which the linear light is irradiated.
The guide means guides the cooling air so that the cooling air flows along at least one of the portion of the region to be illuminated and the reverse surface of the region to be illuminated. In this way, the cooling air flows parallel to at least one of the portion of the region to be illuminated and the reverse surface of the region to be illuminated.
Further, the guide means guides the cooling air diagonally over at least one of the entire portion of the region to be illuminated and the reverse surface of the region to be illuminated. In this way, the cooling air blows simultaneously to at least one of the entire portion of the region to be illuminated and the reverse surface of the region to be illuminated. Thus, because at least one of the entire portion of the region to be illuminated and the reverse surface of the region to be illuminated can be cooled without irregularities, the cooling efficiency is higher than the case in which the cooling air flows in parallel.
The cooling air generated by the above cooling air generating device is usually generated by cooling the air. However, since dust or the like is contained in the air, when the cooling air is generated in a usual state, the dust or the like can be included in the cooling air.
Further, when the cooling air generating device is a compressor, resin powders may be generated due to the wear of the interior of the compressor. In this case, the cooling air blown from the compressor can include the resin powders.
In this way, when the photosensitive material is cooled by cooling air containing dust, resin powders, or the like, the dust or the like may adhere to the photosensitive material. As a result, the quality of read images may deteriorate or the photosensitive material may be damaged.
In light of this, the cooling air generating device is preferably provided with an air filter. Further, when the cooling air generating device is a compressor, the air filter is preferably provided at at least one of a suction port or a discharge port of the compressor.
Further, in order to achieve the above object, an image recording apparatus relating to the present invention comprises: a conveying device which conveys a photosensitive material; an illuminator which irradiates light onto the photosensitive material conveyed by the conveying device; guide means which guides light from the photosensitive material so that the light from the photosensitive material is irradiated onto a photosensitive material for recording in a state in which the photosensitive material is conveyed by the conveying device; and a cooling device which cools at least one of a region of the photosensitive material, onto which the light is irradiated, and a reverse surface of the region.
Namely, the conveying device conveys the photosensitive material and the illuminator irradiates light onto the photosensitive material conveyed by the conveying device. The guide means guides the light from the photosensitive material so that the light from the photosensitive material is irradiated onto the photosensitive material for recording in the state in which the photosensitive material is conveyed by the conveying device.
The cooling device cools at least one of the region of the photosensitive material, onto which the light is irradiated, and the reverse surface of the region.
Accordingly, in the image recording apparatus relating to the present invention as well, even if the amount of light irradiated onto the photosensitive material is increased when the light from the photosensitive material is irradiated onto the photosensitive material for recording in the conveyed state, since the photosensitive material is cooled, deterioration of the quality of the photosensitive material can be prevented.